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How to clamp work on a portable bench

Updated: October 2026

The door is longer than the bench and the pipe wants to spin. How to clamp work on a portable bench starts with the shape of that piece, then with the holes it has. A jaw, a dog and a bar clamp are different holds. A bare rubberwood top lists none of them. Close the latch first, on the [setup page](/hub/workshop/mobile-workbench/sub/mobile-workbench-how-to-set-up). The [mobile workbench comparison](/hub/workshop/mobile-workbench) holds the prices. Products Compared used the Bosch and WORX instructions, the Metabo dog size and the review notes, not a lab, on 19 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The door is longer than the bench and the pipe wants to spin. How to clamp work on a portable bench starts with the shape of that piece, then with the holes it has. A jaw, a dog and a bar clamp are different holds.

Our top picks

WORX WORX Pegasus WX051

Best overall

WORX WORX Pegasus WX051
8.5/10about £131.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch PWB 600

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch PWB 600
8.7/10about £151.57
View offer
BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER Workmate 301

Best value

BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER Workmate 301
8.5/10about £34.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Jaws for a short or awkward piece
  2. 2.Clamps and dogs for a panel or a door
  3. 3.A top with nowhere to clamp
  4. 4.Before you cut

Jaws for a short or awkward piece

Jaws close on a short rail, a pipe or a moulding. The Workmate 301 uses swivel pegs and dual cranks. A UK dealer spec gives 0–115 mm, and that figure is not in the amazon details table. Reviewers call the orange clamps small. A pipe near the top of that opening is the job. A wide panel is not. The Bosch PWB 600 uses four blade clamps. A UK write-up puts the jaw gap at about 85 mm. The manual says you must not stand on it or clamp a power tool in it. Some holes are too tight and some are too loose. The Workmate at £34.00 is best value for short pieces if you will assemble it. The Bosch at £151.57 is the top pick when you want those jaws without a flat-pack evening.

Clamps and dogs for a panel or a door

A door needs a hold across the face. The WORX Pegasus comes with two quick clamps and four pegs. WORX UK states a clamp width of 457 mm, which is a clamp figure, not the table load. The amazon.co.uk load line is garbled. One reviewer supported a solid oak door on the plastic top. Latch the leaf before you tighten a clamp. The Pony includes two 300 mm bar clamps, two 150 mm bar clamps and four dogs. A reviewer fitted 600 mm Jorgensen clamps in the slots. The Metabo MWB 100 uses 20 mm bores. A 20 mm dog is not a Workmate peg or a Bosch blade.
WORX WORX Pegasus WX051

Testsieger

WORX WORX Pegasus WX051
8.5/10about £131.99
View offer

A top with nowhere to clamp

The LARBANKE tops are 120 cm of rubberwood, with a printed scale and no jaws. You can lay a door on 120 × 50 cm. A sash clamp works only if the edge allows the bar, and the legs still have to be braced. Lock the wheels, or fit the feet, before you tighten anything. The plug split is on the folding or rolling page. The Griplier cart at £279.00 has no dogs and no review text.

Before you cut

Latch first, then clamp, then support the offcut. On a WORX, both latches should have clicked. On a Bosch, the legs should have clicked and the free end of a long piece should be supported. On a Metabo, slide the strut lock and level the foot. On a LARBANKE, lock the wheels or fit the feet. Bosch says you do not clamp a power tool in the jaws or use the bench as a scaffold. A structural rail, or anything that will carry a person, is the point to stop and use a proper bench. Which bench you should have bought is on the best folding workbench page.

Common questions

Can I clamp a door?
You can clamp a door on a bench with bar clamps or dogs: the WORX, the Pony, or the Metabo with its 20 mm holes. An 85 mm Bosch jaw, or a Workmate opening around 115 mm on the dealer spec, will not close on a door the way it closes on a pipe. A LARBANKE will support a door flat if you bring clamps the edge can take.
How wide do the Bosch jaws open?
A UK write-up of the PWB 600 puts the gap at about 85 mm. That is an owner figure, not a line this page measured. The Workmate's 0–115 mm figure is a UK dealer spec, not the amazon details table. Measure the piece. If it is wider than the gap, use a clamp table.
Do Pegasus clamps stay on the bench?
They can. The instructions also say the quick clamps may be taken off and used on their own, and reviewers do that. Seat them fully in the slot when they are on the bench, and push the dogs towards the rear jaw. The stated clamp width on the WORX UK page is 457 mm.
Will a 20 mm dog fit a Workmate?
No. The 20 mm bore is the Metabo MWB 100. Workmate pegs and Bosch blade clamps are different shapes. A dog sold for a 20 mm MFT-style hole is for that hole. Forcing one into a vice jaw or a Pegasus slot is how a dog gets stuck or a hole gets chewed.
Does the LARBANKE hold a pipe?
The bullets do not include jaws or dogs. Printed scales are a measuring aid, and one reviewer said they faded. A pipe needs a vice, which on this shelf is the Workmate or the Bosch, or a clamp you supply if the wooden edge will take it. Lock the wheels before you try.
Can I saw on the top while it is clamped?
You can saw the work. Keep the blade out of the bench top. A jigsaw cut the WORX plastic in one review. The Metabo manual says not to saw more than 5 mm into the MDF. Support the offcut so it does not split or fall on the latch.

Related pages

Portable workbench buying guide

Mobile workbench

Best folding workbench UK: top pick and best value

Folding workbench or workbench with wheels: the split

How to set up a folding workbench: latch and pinch

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page, read on 19 October 2026.

  1. PUWER 1998, regulation 20 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. OPSS: LDNIO power strip PSD 2403-0065 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Metabo UK: MWB 100 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Black+Decker UK: Workmate 301 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. WORX EU: Pegasus WX051 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. DIY Garden: workbench round-up (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 19 October 2026)